White House Sidewalk Permanently Closed For Security Reasons

A strip of pavement in front of the White House has been permanently blocked off from the public after numerous security breaches/jumpers cleared the fence at that spot. Previously, the south fence of the White House had only been blocked off from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m., but security concerns have necessitated its permanent closure.

The U.S. Secret Service said it would end public access to a sidewalk along the south fence of the White House beginning on Wednesday night.

The sidewalk has been closed nightly from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. since 2015 and will now be off-limits around the clock, the Secret Service said in a statement.

The closure will "lessen the possibility of individuals illegally accessing the White House grounds," Secret Service Communications Director Cathy Milhoan said.

Now, people looking to view the south fence will be forced to stand about 80 feet further away than before. The Secret Service, however, has assured people that they will still be able to photograph the White House and that there will not be any additional barriers installed at the site.

In March, a man who was armed with pepper spray jumped the fence and spent a full 17 minutes on the White House grounds before being captured. There were also numerous "jumpers" during the Obama administration.